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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25062235">A Different di Angelo</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/DashingLuna/pseuds/DashingLuna'>DashingLuna</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Percy Jackson and the Olympians &amp; Related Fandoms - All Media Types, Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alive Bianca di Angelo, Angsty Bianca, Bianca hates everyone (except Nico), Bianca is angsty and worse than Nico, Bianca is really depressed, Bianca isn't a hunter anymore, F/F, I have no idea where I’m going with this fic, Implied/Referenced Self-Harm, Nico dies instead of Bianca, Percy is even more guilty since a 10 year old is dead, She is basically like Nico except slightly off, Since Bianca isn't into Percy there is nothing holding her back from just stabbing him in the back, We get to see her fatal flaw in action, and blames everyone too, especially herself, especially one as pure as Nico, except for Nico, no update schedule, so tags will change</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-07-04</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-01-11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-04 01:27:07</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>7</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>16,652</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25062235</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/DashingLuna/pseuds/DashingLuna</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Bianca is self-destructive at the loss of her brother and far more unpredictable.</p><p>Or, What if Nico had followed the group with Percy? And instead of Bianca dying it had been Nico.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Annabeth Chase/Bianca di Angelo, Bianca di Angelo &amp; Percy Jackson</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>21</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>74</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Prolouge</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Artemis hadn't promoted Bianca like Zoe had predicted.</p><p>She must have known, after all she had her own little brother. Artemis could see through the mask that Bianca had perfectly constructed. The one that assured everyone that, even if Bianca was mourning she would be okay in the end. Which was a lie.</p><p>Lies.</p><p>
  <em>"You brought my brother on this quest, Jackson, so you better damn well  help me keep him alive," Bianca glared at the boy. Taking in the fact the fact that he had the audacity to look sheepish.</em>
</p><p>Lies.</p><p>
  <em>"Hey! He's your brother not mine," Percy replied back until he saw the serious look on Bianca's face. To which he sighed and continued. "I can't promise anything other than I'll do my best,"</em>
</p><p>
  <strong>Lies.</strong>
</p><p>Bianca hated liars.</p><p>But it had been when Artemis had decided to promote Thalia. The daughter of Zeus. When Bianca had reached her final straw.</p><p>Not when Zoe took her final breath</p><p>Not when Bianca found out Hades was her father, as he sat in the throne room with Gods, arguing whether she should be killed or not.</p><p>Not when Nico's flame flickered out. As she still desperately hoped and prayed she was wrong, even with the sharp ringing in her ears, already giving her answer.</p><p>No, it had been Thalia. The hypocrite and liar. The one who, trying to console Bianca, told her how her own little brother died. She'd said it was a mistake to leave her brother behind to join the hunters and now what was she doing? Joining the hunters.</p><p>Bianca snapped. But she didn't say a word. She couldn't. Not yet. Because if Bianca spoke she was afraid she would scream.</p><p>Scream at the gods, for doing nothing. Scream at the fates, for cutting her brothers string too early. And most importantly, scream at Jackson. For lying. For giving Bianca hope, for making her believe that with two sets of eyes nothing was going to happen to him.</p><p>Bianca hated liars.</p><p>It was probably the only reason why she tolerated Apollo.</p><p>"Hey, Bianca!" A truth God was a nice change of pace. Though a little obnoxious, especially after knowing he was in the exact opposite situation as to her. "Good work on saving my sister, I didn't get to thank you over all the screaming,"</p><p>"It was nothing, Fred," Bianca said. The sun God gave a light chuckle at the name.</p><p>"Even if you were just doing your duty as a hunter and stuff-," Bianca flinched at the mention of that. "-Which is sad, you know, because I'm certain you would've grown to be a fine young lady. "The god gave her a wink, obviously flirtatious.</p><p>"I'm leaving,"</p><p>"Aw don't be like that, I was just having fun-,"</p><p>"No, I mean the hunters," Bianca interrupted. Sort of certain she would be erased from existence for it. It seemed that she would live for another day though. </p><p>Shame.</p><p>Apollo didn't ask why. He didn't have to. Only gave a short nod and stayed as far away from that topic as he could've. He understood. The twins were the only ones who <em>could </em>understand.</p><p>But not to Bianca's extent.</p><p>"So what are you going to do now?" Apollo asked. Bianca couldn't tell a god exactly what she was planning. And she certainly didn't want to. So Bianca just shrugged, stirring the cup of something vaguely resembling alcohol. Which only made her want to drink it more.</p><p>Apollo took that as his cue to leave. Leaving Bianca all alone.</p><p>Bianca looked at her 'friends,'. They were partying as if nothing had happened. As if Bianca hadn't lost a sister and a brother in a span of 48 hours.</p><p>Bianca stared at Percy and her clutch on the glass unconsciously tightened. He got his friend back, he finished the mission, he was even the supposed chosen one. Why did he deserve it? He was just a liar, someone who made people hope and then crushed it.</p><p>Bianca took a tight sip of the drink, not giving a care in the world if she was underage. Hoping the drink would make her forget what had happened. Everything, that had happened</p><p>Bianca hated liars.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>So another fic with Bianca alive.<br/>This one was created more out on a whim (Who am I kidding, both my stories where created out on a whim). Please do not expect any update schedule or anything of the sort. Because it will be nothing like that.<br/>Thank you for reading!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Percy makes a new enemy</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Bianca had clutched the Hades figurine inside her pocket the entire time she had her discussion about leaving the hunter.</p><p>It hadn't been an argument. As Artemis's eyes held an acceptance to them. They looked pained to see a young maiden go but the understanding made it easier than expected. She was alone inside a room with the Goddess, not even Thalia was in there. Bianca had requested so herself.</p><p>She hadn't needed to explain, she didn't think she could. Bianca couldn't explain why she was leaving, not because she didn't know but because she thought she would break down crying. And she didn't want to snap at the closest thing she had to a mother.</p><p>"Are you sure you want to do this?" Artemis asked. She held no anger in her tone. It was the only comfort.</p><p>Bianca only nodded. Sometimes it felt like that was the only thing she could do.</p><p>"Bianca di Angelo, you are relieved of duty," Artemis said. Giving a wave of her hand. Bianca felt something change, her once silver tinged aura changed to pure black. Her natural muscles dissipated and Bianca felt weaker but freed. Bianca didn't smile, she didn't need to act like she was okay in front of her lady. Bianca gave a sharp, but thankful nod towards Artemis.</p><p>Bianca could feel the girls staring at her as she exited Artemis's tent. They could all feel the change in her aura and the drop of her mask. She didn't care though. They were all just hunters, they weren't her sisters anymore.</p><p>She picked up her backpack, bow and quiver, slinging them around her back. Artemis wasn't going to allow a lady to go out unprotected. Even if she felt absolutely wrong holding it she wasn't stupid enough to go without it. Bianca didn't turn back, she didn't want to turn back. She just wanted to go.</p><p>Sadly, it seemed like her wish wasn't going to be answered.</p><p>"Bianca!" A voice she knew well called to her. Snow crunching as the sound of heavy boats raced towards the young girl. Bianca was at the edge of camp, she could go and run but some part of her froze. She wasn't ready to face <em>her </em>yet. "Bianca! Wait up!"</p><p>Bianca turned around and was face to face with the newly lieutenant Thalia. Proud, finally finding the place where she belonged. She had been so at home the moment she stepped into the camp. As if this had been her place all along. Bianca looked up and down the girl and had to admit the outfit suited her.</p><p>"Hey, are you okay? Artemis said you were leaving and-," Thalia must have noticed the look on Bianca's face because her expression changed from confusion and worry to just worried with a slight hint of fearful. "Bianca-,"</p><p>"Don't," Bianca snapped. "Don't start. Don't you dare say it gets better with time or how you need to move on,"</p><p>"Bianca please," Thalia said with the false pretence that she could understand. But Thalia couldn't understand, she damn well couldn't. </p><p>"Thalia," Bianca snarled. Eying the person with a bitter look. "I've made my decision, you've made yours,"</p><p>"Bianca, Nico wouldn't want this-," Thalia started. But that was certainly the wrong thing to say. Because before Thalia could even continue Bianca was already screaming.</p><p>"How do you know! You only knew him for two weeks! He was my brother! And what in Hades do you mean by <em>this</em>?!" Bianca made a vague gesture, having her hands wildly wave around. "What wouldn't he want?! That I not move on?! That I not go on alone?! That I <em>not</em> stay at the place were I left to fucking abandon him at?!"</p><p>"You didn't abandon-," Thalia was just spouting out the same things she did on the canoe. Thalia took a step forward like she was approaching an injured animal. Bianca took a step back.</p><p>"Yes I did! Don't you <em>dare </em>try to fill me with the same lies you convinced yourself with!" Bianca screeched. Breathing heavily. "I let him go to some <em>stupid </em>Greek camp without me just because some random boy was <em>nice </em>to me! I left him behind like he was dead weight! Like at the nearest stop I could toss him aside! Tell me I'm wrong, Thalia! Lie to me again! I dare you! I fucking <em>dare <strong>you</strong></em>!"</p><p>Thalia stayed silent. Her hand was still halfway outstretched. Bianca only snarled. She wiped underneath her eyes. "I knew it,"</p><p>Bianca turned around and took a step by the time Thalia spoke up again. "So what now?"</p><p>"I don't know," Bianca replied honestly. Still staring at the forest in front of her. "All I know are two things,"</p><p>Bianca held up one finger. "I'm a child of Hades. I'm getting my brother back even if it's the last thing I do,"</p><p>"<em>Bianca you can't</em>-," Thalia tried to start but the glare Bianca gave shut her up instantly.</p><p>She held up another finger. As if she was making a peace sign towards the girl but both knew that it couldn't be further from the truth. "And two. Percy Jackson better watch his back because next time we meet it will not be as allies,"</p><p>She could feel the fear and anger radiating from Thalia. She knew what the girl thought. She really shouldn't have cared. After all, an enemy of my enemy is my friend and all that jazz. But some part of her hissed at the fact she was being compared to that snake of a titan.</p><p>"I couldn't care less about this war Thalia," Bianca said simply and the anger froze. Thalia stayed silent. "Bye, I guess, hope I never see you again,"</p><p>Bianca continued walking and didn't look back as she plunged herself into the dark woods ahead of her.</p><p>0-0-0</p><p>"Two years may seem like a long time," Chiron said. "But it is the blink of an eye. I still hope you are not the child of the prophecy, Percy. But if you are, then the second Titan war is almost upon us. Kronos's first strike will be here."</p><p>"How do you know?" Percy asked. "Why would he care about camp?"</p><p>"Because the gods use heroes as their tools," Chiron said simply. "Destroy the tools, and the gods will be crippled. Luke's forces will come here. Mortal, demigod, monstrous… We must be prepared. Clarisse's news may give us a clue as to how they will attack, but-," </p><p>A shimmering light interrupted Chiron. Percy turned to his left to see that someone had decided to Iris message them. Waiting a few seconds Percy watched and saw as Thalia's worried and panicked state shined down upon the room. Eyes filtering towards each person, even only glancing at Annabeth, before they locked onto Percy.</p><p>"Thalia? What occasion do we owe the interruption?" Chiron asked. Her eyes didn't even flicker towards the centaur and stayed solely on Percy. How could only guess by the way she looked that she had bad news for said boy.</p><p>Percy's expression must've been clear. Get it over with quickly.</p><p>"Bianca left," Thalia started with. Sending a jolt through Annabeth and Percy's spine. They both stared at her with a different light. "She left the hunters, Percy,"</p><p>"What? Why?!" Percy exclaimed. He had a pretty good guess and he was hoping he was wrong.</p><p>Nico's death still lay inside Percy's mind. Filling him to the brim with guilt and despair. He blamed himself to the point he hadn't even been able to talk with Bianca anymore without someone as a buffer. And even then those conversations were awkward to the point where he would rather being doing literally anything else.</p><p>Thalia gulped. She obviously wanted to talk in private but decided better against it. "She said she knew two things, that she was going to get Nico back and..."</p><p>"And what?" Annabeth asked. </p><p>"And that next time she saw Percy they wouldn't be allies," Thalia said. And a few people could read through the lines at that. Percy looked terrified.</p><p>Because he had seen Bianca at her worst, when she had nearly decimated every single skeleton inside hoover dam, how terrifying and determined she had been fuelled by rage. And knowing she was now a child of Hades, and how much Hades hated Percy. Then Percy could only guess what would happen.</p><p>"Oh gods," Percy mumbled to himself as he lifted a hand towards his forehead and leaned backwards.</p><p>No one else other than those who had attended the winter solstice knew who Bianca's parent was. So they just saw some random unclaimed trying there dandiest to kill Percy, like every single member of Kronos's army essentially. But Percy saw differently.</p><p>Because now that Bianca was aging again she was eligible for the prophecy. Not just Percy.</p><p>Percy ran out of the room before he even had control over his legs. Well, run might be a bit much, but speed walking extremely fast fit the description to a tea. The meeting had ended and Percy just needed some time to think. Of course, his two best friends were by his side the moment he left the room.</p><p>"Why don't we just tell Chiron?!" Annabeth said as they got out of sight from everyone.</p><p>"We can't, if we tell anyone there is a child of Hades on the loose they'll try to kill her," Percy stated.</p><p>"Thalia said Bianca was going to kill you," Grover reasoned.</p><p>"It's the least I can do for both of them," Percy said. Grover and Annabeth both knew what he meant by both of them. Nico. He'd let down Nico and he was not going to let his sister suffer for it. He had already ruined Bianca's life enough he didn't need to do it anymore.</p><p>"Again, Bianca is trying to kill you!" Annabeth said. "And even if then, she left the hunters, we need to get her to join us before Luke gets to her, so she doesn't make the wrong choice if the prophecy is about her,"</p><p>"It won't be," Percy stated with confidence. "I'll take it on,"</p><p>Annabeth looked horrified. "Are you saying you want the responsibility of the whole world on your shoulders?!"</p><p>Percy would have replied something snarky like 'I already did that,' if it wasn't for that fact that he was so terrified. Of the future, of Bianca and of his failures.</p><p>He remembered the kid smiling bright in front of him. Who would always talk about that <em>stupid </em>card game and ask the weirdest questions. The one who had a future cut to soon. Percy's first failure was just a kid. </p><p>Camp was full of kids, they were all kids at the end of the day. But Nico had only been 10. That was way too young even by demigod standards. That boy had died because Percy hadn't been able to do it. He wasn't going to make that same mistake again.</p><p>"No, just that I'm not going to let anyone else take it,"</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. The Liar and The Trusting</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Bianca and Minos meet. Nico and Bianca talk.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It took two months before King Minos decided to stalk his prey.</p><p>Bianca could admit she only barely survived those months by herself. She dodged and weaved as much as possible, trying to avoid monsters and mortals alike. Sometimes people on trains would ask her whether she was okay, as she hadn't had a shower since being a hunter, she'd always wave them off or watch as they turned into monsters.</p><p>The young girl hadn't slept in 2 days. She was mostly staying inside the middle of the country, not because of anything in particular other than she didn't want to go to the underworld. Bianca wanted to see Nico, desperately, but she didn't think she'd be able to survive having to confront her father.</p><p>It was actually sort of funny, the setting where she met King Minos.</p><p>As it was a graveyard.</p><p>Well, more accurately it was in a playground that connected to a graveyard. There was no fence so Bianca just stared at the sight in front of her as she slowly rocked back and forth on the wing. Graveyards felt... different. They had a sort of aura to them that Bianca had never seen before. It wasn't like she regularly stopped by graveyards.</p><p>Then she saw the ghosts.</p><p>Most of them stayed inside the graveyard. Talking towards each other and minding there own business, sometimes they'd glance at her then quickly avoid eye contact as if it would kill them for a second time. The ones that weren't in the graveyard... well those were children. Playing inside the playground as if they were alive, practically pretending they were as they refused to go through any equipment.</p><p>It was disconcerting, hearing the soft laughter of children as if it was a normal day. But knowing she was the only one able to see them.</p><p>
  <strike>(She wished one of those children were Nico. Gods she just wanted her brother.)</strike>
</p><p>That was when King Minos came.</p><p>When the swirling started Bianca just thought it was the wind, then it began to take form. Transparent and like a discounted fog, swirling into a small, perfect ball. Before rapidly expanding into shape.</p><p>He was tall lanky and old. Looking the man up and down the first thing she registered even though it was the last thing she saw was that his form disappeared at his feet, more at the end of his robe. He had a cane that he hunched over. Which made Bianca think how he was actually taller than he already was. He had a beard and no hair on his head and he was staring at Bianca as if she was a cockroach with his ticket to the lottery.</p><p>All other ghosts in the area froze. Before fading out on command, leaving Bianca feeling more alone than ever. It was dark out, meaning it was even more terrifying having the man loom over her.</p><p>'Who are you?" Bianca asked with a gulp, she was still not used to the creepy part of her powers.</p><p>"King Minos, Master, at your service," The King gave a small bow. It looked more like a nod of his head since he still didn't move his cane out of the way. "And you're Bianca di Angelo,"</p><p>"How do you know my name?"</p><p>"Your prayers have been relayed throughout your father palace," Bianca winced. "And I thought I would offer my assistance,"</p><p>Bianca took one look at him, she could tell from the second she laid eyes on him that he was a liar. The way he moved, the way he spoke with expertise as if he thought fooling a child would be the easiest thing to do in his death. But Bianca had seen enough liars to spot one.</p><p>Bianca hated liars.</p><p>But she loved her brother more.</p><p>"Okay," Bianca said. "How are you going to help me get my brother back?"</p><p>King Minos smiled wickedly, as if everything was going to plan.</p><p>0-0-0</p><p>Bianca had first successfully summoned Nico by herself.</p><p>It had taken a few days and a lot of practice,(Even if the King was a liar he gave good advice) but when she finally got it Bianca hadn't had King Minos nearby. It was daylight, though she was in a camping forest by herself. Bianca watched in disbelief as the form shimmered in front of her. Taking in the sight and giving out a small choking sound and what she saw in front of her.</p><p>Her brother. Nico.</p><p>Ghostly and transparent, but there. Bianca could see him, for the first time in what felt like forever she could feel his soul. He felt so less lifelike, as if his childlike state had been sapped out of him after death, two months in Elysium really does that to a ghost, makes them more at peace. Maybe that or it was the fact his heart looked shattered as he stared at Bianca's condition.</p><p>
  <strike>(She wasn't in good condition, the pain of fighting was the only thing reminding her that she was alive, the and the tallies and artworks on her arms, littered there as reminders as she cried into the mirror.)</strike>
</p><p>The bags under her eyes were bigger than her eyes themselves, her hair was half shaven and messily cut but growing back, she hadn't been able to fully shave it off before the shop owner found her out and reamed her. Her hunter of Artemis clothes? Long gone in a ditch somewhere and replaced with a snowboarding jacket and some jeans, her shoes were stolen.</p><p>"Nico," Bianca breathed out the boys name as if all her prayers had been answered. Nico gave a bittersweet smile.</p><p>"Bianca," Nico reached out to touch her, only for his hand to fade when it tried to touch her. (<em>It wasn't fair, it wasn't fair, why couldn't it have been her instead? He was so <strong>young</strong></em>,) "I've missed you,"</p><p>"I've missed you too," Bianca cried. Stepping forward. "I'm sorry, I should've been there, I should've stopped you,"</p><p>"It was my decision Bianca, don't blame yourself," Nico said. He sounded so much older than a ten year old. "I never blamed you, so please, don't blame yourself,"</p><p>"I-I can't... Nico I can't..." Bianca stuttered out.</p><p>"Please, you have to, move on," Nico said. "Revenge is not the answer,"</p><p>"Percy has to <em>pay </em>for what he did," Bianca said Percy but she was lying, she hated the boy and she wanted him to leave her alone but when she said Percy she lied. Bianca didn't want Percy to pay she wanted herself to suffer, for even allowing Nico in a situation where he could die.</p><p>"Percy never did anything wrong," Nico whispered. Bianca would've laughed at the way he said it if he were alive. </p><p>"I just want you back," Bianca whispered. She refused to give up but she couldn't tell him that. He wouldn't understand, he would be thankful once she could fully hug him again. (<em>She should've been there, he</em> <em>died <strong>alone</strong></em>)</p><p>"I know, I love you," Nico whispered. His voice turned into a wisp in the wind as Bianca sat down on the ground again and stared at where her brother used to be.</p><p>"I...I love you too, Nico," Bianca choked out before she started crying again. Tears streaming down her face. "I just want you back,"</p><p>Bianca hated liars.</p><p>Bianca hated herself.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>These chapters are a lot shorter than I would like then to be, sadly.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Happy meals</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Shit happens</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>So it's been a while, sorry about that. I was focused on finishing my other project, I saw a picture of Bianca with a skeleton bow and I was like 'I need that,'<br/>So that was my inspiration, Bianca in an awesome outfit with a skeleton bow.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Bianca was clutching onto the Hades statue.</p><p>She was inside the underworld, having finally gathered up the courage to talk to her father only to have him let her down. She was camping out near the river Styx, refusing to stay near her father any more than she had to. She hated that man.</p><p>Bianca was worse than before (<strike>The artworks were more detailed and much more painful</strike>) her hair was still a mess and she'd decided she liked keeping it short. Biancas outfit hadn't changed much other than she now wore a skull t-shirt underneath her jacket. She decided to switch her snowboarding jacket to a leather jacket (though it was like a leather replacement thing, Persephone would eat her alive if she wore actual leather while her mother was visiting).</p><p>Her face was grimy, like she'd been living on the streets (which she had).</p><p>"I've failed," Bianca whispered to herself. Keith nudged her free hand. "There's no way to get him back,"</p><p>Keith was a skeleton cat Bianca had revived on the side of the road and had grown attached to. He'd originally been a fully black cat so Bianca felt more at home with him than most other ghosts. Bianca scratched the little guys head and tried to smile. That thing must've been a blessing from Nico because there was no way it was anything else.</p><p>Nico…</p><p>After her most recent argument with the small boy (about two weeks ago) he'd been refusing to listen to her unless she stopped trying to get him back. Bianca wasn't going to stop, so Nico did, and she just felt horribly alone and depressed after that. He hadn't answered to anything.</p><p>King Minos stayed silent, as if waiting to be prompted.</p><p>"Is there?" Bianca raised an eyebrow. King Minos was someone who she didn't trust at all, even Keith could see that as he hissed whenever the ghost got to close.</p><p>“It has never been done,” King Minos said. “But there may be a way.” </p><p>“Tell me,” Bianca commanded. Her eyes shined with a fierce light. </p><p>“An exchange,” the ghost said. “A soul for a soul.”</p><p>“I’ve offered!”</p><p>Bianca had, she'd begged her father to let Nico live again in exchange for her life. The conversation hadn't ended well, there had been a lot of screaming from both sides. Bianca was lucky that Hades had so few other children or else she'd be joining her brother.</p><p>“Not yours,” King Minos said. “You cannot offer your father a soul he will eventually collect anyway. Nor will he be anxious for the death of his daughter. I mean a soul that should have died already. Someone who has cheated death.” </p><p>Bianca thought about it for a quick second, what King Minos was suggesting was murder, but the very thought of getting Nico back alive again would make her do almost anything. Bianca stared at the flames for a few seconds, she wanted to ask Nico whether she should. But the thought of Nico reminded Bianca she couldn't contact him, not even for a second.</p><p>“I want to talk to him. He would help me.” </p><p>"How? He was a child," King Minos said, and it hurt more knowing she let a ten year old die on her account.</p><p>"He would still help me in more ways you can," Bianca said through gritted teeth. Keith decided to jump onto her shoulder and nuzzle against her face. Bianca shivered a bit due to the bones being so cold before patting the little guy on the head.</p><p>“I have helped you,” King Minos promised. Bianca could tell he wasn't lying, because he had helped her out of tight spots, but only for personal gain. “Have I not saved you many times? Did I not lead you through the maze and teach you to use your powers? Do you want revenge for your brother or not?” </p><p>In all honesty she didn't know. She didn't want Percy or Thalia dead she just wanted them to leave her the Hades alone, and if that meant point a knife to there face to do so then so be it.  “Very well. You have a plan?” </p><p>“Oh, yes,” the ghost said, sounding quite pleased. “We have many dark roads to travel. We must start in the Labryinth,"</p><p>0-0-0</p><p>Bianca had been gifted with weapons when she had met her father.</p><p>Her simple bow that the hunters of Artemis had given her had been changed. Bones now littered the design, implemented into the wood, carving out stories. Bianca couldn't tell whether they were animal bones or human ones. Bianca tried not to think about it. </p><p>Her hunting knives had been switched to stygian iron. Bianca felt more natural holding them.</p><p>Bianca honestly must have looked terrifying to anyone who could see through the mist, even to people who couldn't. She felt as though she was an omen of death.</p><p>Probably the only thing that made her feel not like that was her emotional support cat Keith.</p><p>Bianca sighed as she walked into the grave yard with the cat on her shoulder.</p><p>0-0-0</p><p>Percy woke with a start, his heart pounding. He could’ve sworn the empousa’s fangs were an inch from his throat. </p><p>He'd just woken up from a dream with Luke and to say it hadn't gone well would be an understatement. Tyson was snoring in the next bunk. The sound calmed Percy down a little. An army was ready. Kronos would lead it personally. All they needed was a way to navigate the Labyrinth so they could invade and destroy Camp Half-Blood, and Luke apparently thought that was going to happen very soon. </p><p>He was tempted to go wake up Annabeth and tell her, middle of the night or not. Then Percy realized the room was lighter than it should have been. A blue and-green glow was coming from the saltwater fountain, brighter and more urgent than the night before. It was almost like the water was humming. It was childlike, almost laughter even.</p><p>Percy got out of bed and approached. No voice spoke out of the water this time, asking for a deposit. He got the feeling the fountain was waiting for him to make the first move. </p><p>Honestly he probably should’ve gone back to bed. Instead Percy thought about what he'd seen last night—the weird image of Bianca at the banks of the River Styx. Clutching onto the Hades statue that had been her brothers death.</p><p>“You’re trying to tell me something,” Percy said. No response from the fountain. “All right, show me Bianca di Angelo.”</p><p>People were looking for Bianca. Not just Percy and Annabeth but also Thalia. Thalia had felt especially guilty for Nico's death but had never explained why.</p><p>Percy didn’t even throw a coin in, but this time it didn’t matter. It was like some other force had control of the water besides Iris the messenger goddess. The water shimmered. Bianca appeared, but she was no longer in the Underworld. She was standing in a graveyard under a starry sky. Giant willow trees loomed all around her.</p><p>The cat was also there. Percy had no idea about how to think of it other than it was a little freaky. Though if it made Bianca smile. Even just a bit, than it was a good thing.</p><p>She was watching some gravediggers at work. Percy heard shovels and saw dirt flying out of a hole. Bianca was dressed in a leather jacket like last time, she had lost her Italian glow that she once had. The night was foggy. It was warm and humid, and frogs were croaking. A large Wal-Mart bag sat next to Bianca’s feet. </p><p>“Is it deep enough yet?” Bianca asked. She was patient, very much unlike her brother. While she leapt into battle without second thought on more mundane things she could keep her cool.</p><p>“Nearly, my lady.” It was the same ghost Percy had seen Bianca with before, the faint shimmering image of a man. “But, my lady, I tell you, this is unnecessary. You already have me for advice.” </p><p>Bianca gritted her teeth. Percy watched her take in a breath. Then seethe out of her. “I want a second opinion,”</p><p>She snapped his fingers, and the digging stopped. Two figures climbed out of the hole. They weren’t people. They were skeletons in ragged clothes. </p><p>“You are dismissed,” Bianca said. “Thank you.” </p><p>The skeletons collapsed into piles of bones.</p><p>“You might as well thank the shovels,” the ghost complained. “They have as much sense.” </p><p>Bianca stayed silent, but Percy could tell a snarky remark was on the tip of her tongue. She reached into his Wal-Mart bag and pulled out a twelve-pack of Coke. She popped open a can. Instead of drinking it, she poured it into the grave.</p><p>“Let the dead taste again,” She murmured. “Let them rise and take this offering. Let them remember.” </p><p>She dropped the rest of the Cokes into the grave and pulled out a white paper bag decorated with cartoons. Percy hadn’t seen one in years, but he recognized it—a McDonald’s Happy Meal. She looked like she hated doing it, but convenience was convenience.</p><p>Bianca turned it upside down and shook the fries and hamburger into the grave. “In my day, we used animal blood,” the ghost mumbled. “It’s perfectly good enough. They can’t taste the difference.” </p><p>“I'm not going to kill an animal when I can just spend a few dollars,” Bianca said. Petting the skeleton cat. The cat had already spotted Percy but was making no means of trying to rat him out.</p><p>“At least let me keep the toy,” the ghost said.</p><p>“Be quiet!” Bianca ordered. She emptied another twelve-pack of soda and three more Happy Meals into the grave, then began chanting in Ancient Greek. Percy caught only some of the words—a lot about the dead and memories and returning from the grave. Real happy stuff.</p><p>The grave started to bubble. Frothy brown liquid rose to the top like the whole thing was filling with soda. The fog thickened. The frogs stopped croaking. Dozens of figures began to appear among the gravestones: bluish, vaguely human shapes. Bianca had summoned the dead with Coke and cheeseburgers.</p><p>“There are too many,” the ghost said nervously. “You don’t know your own powers.” </p><p>"Oh shut up will you," Bianca bit back harshly. She pulled out her bow but it looked different...were those <em>bones </em>superglued to it?! "One at a time,"</p><p>A single figure floated forward and knelt at the pool. It made slurping sounds as it drank. Its ghostly hands scooped French fries out of the pool. When it stood again, Percy could see it much more clearly—a teenage guy in Greek armor. He had curly hair and green eyes, a clasp shaped like a seashell on his cloak. </p><p>“Who are you?” Bianca said. “Speak.”</p><p>The young man frowned as if trying to remember. Then he spoke in a voice like dry, crumpling paper: “I am Theseus.”</p><p>No way, that couldn't be-this was just a kid! No older than Percy himself!</p><p>“How can I retrieve my brother?” Bianca asked.</p><p>Theseus’s eyes were lifeless as glass. “Do not try. It is madness.” </p><p>"Do not tell me things I already know," Bianca commanded. Voice sharp and heavy. "Now. <strong>Just tell me how I retrieve my brother</strong>,"</p><p>“My stepfather died,” Theseus remembered. “He threw himself into the sea because he thought I was dead in the Labyrinth. I wanted to bring him back, but I could not.” </p><p>Bianca’s ghost hissed. “My lady, the soul exchange! Ask him about that!” </p><p>Theseus scowled. “That voice. I know that voice.”</p><p>“No you don’t, fool!” the ghost said. “Answer the lady’s questions and nothing more!”</p><p>“I know you,” Theseus insisted, as if struggling to recall.</p><p>“I want to hear about my brother,” Bianca said. She was scratching her arm but not out of nervousness or habit but something else. “Will this quest into the Labyrinth help me win him back?” </p><p>Theseus was looking for the ghost, but apparently couldn’t see him. Slowly he turned his eyes back on Bianca. “The Labyrinth is treacherous. There is only one thing that saw me through: the love of a mortal girl. The string was only part of the answer. It was the princess who guided me.” </p><p>Bianca nodded. The ghost hissed. Disapproving of her finding other ideas for ways out.</p><p>“We don’t need any of that,” the ghost said. “I will guide you, my lady. Ask him if it is true about an exchange of souls. He will tell you.”</p><p>“A soul for a soul,” Bianca asked. “Is it true?” </p><p>“I—I must say yes. But the spectre—”</p><p>“Just answer the questions, knave!” the ghost said. </p><p>Suddenly, around the edges of the pool, the other ghosts became restless. They stirred, whispering in nervous tones.</p><p>“I want to see my brother!” Bianca demanded. The cat was on her head, the only one who wasn't desperate for something.  "He hasn't responded and I want him to,"</p><p>“He is coming,” Theseus said fearfully. “He has sensed your summons. He comes.” </p><p>"You're not talking about Nico, are you?"</p><p>“He comes to find the source of this power,” Theseus said. “You must release us.” </p><p>The water in my fountain began to tremble, humming with power. Percy realized the whole cabin was shaking. The noise grew louder. The image of Bianca in the graveyard started to glow until it was painful to watch. “Stop,” Percy said out loud. “Stop it!” </p><p>The fountain began to crack. Tyson muttered in his sleep and turned over. Purple light threw horrible, ghostly shadows on the cabin walls, as if the spectres were escaping right out of the fountain.</p><p>In desperation Percy uncapped riptide and slashed at the fountain, cleaving it in two. Salt water spilled everywhere, and the great stone font crashed to the floor in pieces. Tyson snorted and muttered, but he kept sleeping. Percy sank to the ground, shivering from what he’d seen. Tyson found him there in the morning, still staring at the shattered remains of the saltwater fountain. </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Hope you enjoyed</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Bianca really fucking hates Percy</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Triple G-Ranch</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The triple G ranch was disgusting, in Bianca's opinion.</p><p>She didn't care.</p><p>Bianca just wanted to get this over and done with. She was currently in a meeting with Geryon, and practically nothing was getting done. They were just talking circles. Bianca was getting more and more frustrated by the minute. King Minos wasn't there, only Keith was. And even then he was sleeping around her neck.</p><p>Geryon then perked up halfway through talking. "Excuse me,"</p><p>"We aren't done here-," Bianca was halfway through saying but he was already out the door. Bianca sighed into her hands. Gods she hated liars. Geryon was just fucking that. After all she could practically smell it, even with all the manure and shit laying around everywhere Geryon reeked of the deceitful. Bianca was going to abandon King Minos's advice the moment she found something better.</p><p>Bianca walked out onto the porch.</p><p>"Geryon, I won’t wait for-," Bianca faltered when she saw who was in front of her. Percy Jackson, in all his glory. He wasn't alone of course, as he was followed by Annabeth Chase and Grover, both of which Bianca also wanted to leave her the fuck alone. Though they were also followed by someone else, a cyclops, that Bianca had never met before, meaning she had no problems with him.</p><p>Bianca drew her hunting knives.</p><p>Geryon snarled when he saw it. "Put that away, Ms. di Angelo. I ain’t gonna have my guests killin’ each other."</p><p>Bianca stared at him as if he were insane, which considering the conversations she just had, was a high possibility. "That's-,"</p><p>"Percy Jackson,” Geryon supplied. “Annabeth Chase. And a couple of their monster friends. Yes, I know."</p><p>"Then why are they still alive?" Bianca said bluntly. She didn't sheave her knives yet, and she wasn't even going to look at what Percy's expression was. Geryon didn't seem to find her interesting to listen to anymore.</p><p>“That man is wearing three shirts,” The cyclops said, like he was just realizing this. Bianca liked him already.</p><p>“They let my brother die!” Bianca stated with a façade of calm, in reality she was half angry and half terrified. “They’re here to kill me!” </p><p>"Bianca, we’re not here to kill you.” Percy raised his hands. “What happened to Nico was-,"</p><p>"Don't," Bianca was shaking. "Don't you fucking dare say his name, you don't get to. You fucking piece of shit-,"</p><p>“Wait a minute,” Annabeth pointed at Geryon. “How do you know our names?” </p><p>The three-bodied man winked. “I make it my business to keep informed, darlin’. Everybody pops into the ranch from time to time. Everyone needs something from ole Geryon. Now, Ms. di Angelo, put those ugly knives away before I have Eurytion take them form you.”</p><p>Bianca assessed her situation. Eurytion sighed, but he hefted his spiked club. At his feet, Orthus growled. Keith hissed at the dog. "Fine," </p><p>She honestly looked worse, she'd switched her leather jacket for a black hoodie, as Keith liked the fabric and pockets better. Her hair was a mess and everything about her was a disaster. Bianca didn't care though. Not really.</p><p>She'd stopped caring about most things when she lost Nico.</p><p>Reluctantly, she sheathed her knives. "If you come near me, Jackson, I’ll kick your ass. I promise."</p><p>"Bianca..."</p><p>Geryon patted Bianca’s shoulder. "There, we’ve all made nice. Now come along, folks. I want to give you a tour of the ranch."</p><p>0-0-0</p><p>Geryon had a trolley thing—like one of those kiddie trains that take you around zoos. It was painted black and white in a cowhide pattern. The driver’s car had a set of longhorns stuck to the hood, and the horn sounded like a cowbell. Bianca hated it the moment she stepped on it.</p><p>"Kitty," The cyclops said, pointing at Keith. She was right behind him. Annabeth was next to him, seeing how the cyclops and Grover didn't like being next to eachother. And there was no way in hell Jackson was getting anywhere near Bianca.</p><p>Bianca didn't smile, she just nodded and held out her arm. Letting Keith walk it like a catwalk. "Wanna pat him?"</p><p>The cyclops nodded excitedly. Cautiously patting the cat skeletons head, who instantly purred and leaned into the touch. Bianca trusted the cyclops just a little bit more, as Keith made very good character judgements. "What's your name?"</p><p>"Tyson,"</p><p>"I'm Bianca," She said. "I'd say it's nice to meet you but then I'd be lying,"</p><p>Tyson looked sad at what she said. Which nearly made her take it back, but she decided better against it.</p><p>Bianca didn't talk to anyone else.</p><p>"Rooster ponies," Tyson said in amazement. At the bottom of the hill was a fenced-in pasture with a dozen of the weirdest animals she'd ever seen. Each had the front half of a horse and the back half of a rooster. Their rear feet were huge yellow claws. They had feathery tails and red wings. "Do they lay eggs?"</p><p>"Once a year!: Geryon grinned in the rearview mirror. "Very much in demand for omelettes!"</p><p>"That’s horrible!" Annabeth said. "They must be an endangered species!"</p><p>Geryon waved his hand. "Gold is gold, darling. And you haven’t tasted the omelettes."</p><p>"That’s not right," Grover murmured, but Geryon just kept narrating the tour. After a while of meaningless chatter Bianca lost her cool</p><p>Bianca sat forward. “I don’t care about any of this, Geryon. We had business to discuss, and this wasn’t it!”</p><p>“All in good time, Ms. di Angelo. Look over here; some of my exotic game.”</p><p>The next field was ringed in barbed wire. The whole area was crawling with giant scorpions.</p><p>“Triple G Ranch,” Percy said, as if suddenly remembering. “Your mark was on the crates at camp. Quintus got his scorpions from you.”</p><p>“Quintus…” Geryon mused. “Short grey hair, muscular, swordsman?”</p><p>“Yeah.”</p><p>“Never heard of him,” Geryon said. “Now, over here are my prize stables! You must see them.” </p><p>Bianca didn’t need to see them, because as soon as she got within three hundred yards she began to smell them. Near the banks of a green river was a horse corral the size of a football field. Stables lined one side of it. About a hundred horses were milling around in the horse poop. It was the most disgusting thing she’d ever seen, like a poop blizzard had come through and dumped four feet of the stuff overnight. The horses were really gross from wading through it, and the stables were just as bad. It reeked like you would not believe—worse than the garbage boats on the East River.</p><p>Bianca gagged. "What in the fuck?"</p><p>“My stables!” Geryon said. “Well, actually they belong to Aegas, but we watch over them for a small monthly fee. Aren’t they lovely?” </p><p>"No, clearly not," Bianca said in a horrified tone.</p><p>“They’re disgusting!” Annabeth said.</p><p>“Lots of poop,” Tyson observed.</p><p>“How can you keep animals like that?” Grover cried.</p><p>“Y’all getting’ on my nerves,” Geryon said. “These are flesh-eating horses, see? They like these conditions.” </p><p>“Plus, you’re too cheap to have them cleaned,” Eurytion mumbled from under his hat.</p><p>“Quiet!” Geryon snapped. “All right, perhaps the stables are a bit challenging to clean. Perhaps they do make me nauseous when the wind blows the wrong way. But so what? My clients still pay me well.”</p><p>“What clients?” Percy demanded.</p><p>“Oh, you’d be surprised how many people will pay for a flesh-eating horse. They make great garbage disposals. Wonderful way to terrify your enemies. Great at birthday parties! We rent them out all the time.”</p><p>“You’re a monster,” Annabeth decided. Bianca would agree, but she still had to do business with him. Have him give her a way to Daedalus.</p><p>Geryon stopped the moo-mobile and turned to look at her. “What gave it away? Was it the three bodies?”</p><p>“You have to let these animals go,” Grover said. “It’s not right!”</p><p>“And the clients you keep talking about,” Annabeth said. “You work for Kronos, don’t you? You’re supplying his army with horses, food, whatever they need.”</p><p>Geryon shrugged, which was very weird since he had three sets of shoulders. It looked like he was doing the wave all by himself. “I work for anyone with gold, young lady. I’m a businessman. And I sell them anything I have to offer.” </p><p>He climbed out of the moo-mobile and strolled toward the stables as if enjoying the fresh air. It would’ve been a nice view, with the river and the trees and hills and all, except for the quagmire of horse muck. Bianca finally lost all patience.</p><p>"Alright, listen up <em>fucker </em>I have had a long day, I just need a way to navigate and find the workshop, okay?" Bianca jumped off of the moo mobile, trailing after Geryon. "I came for business but you aren't delivering!"</p><p>"Mhm," Geryon examined a cactus. His left arm reached over and scratched his middle-chest. "Oh, you'll get your deal all right,"</p><p>"My ghost-" Bianca felt disgusted she had to call King Minos that."-told me you could help. He said you could guide us to the soul,"</p><p>"Wait a second," Percy said. "I thought I was the soul you wanted."</p><p>Bianca reared back, examining him to see whether he was serious. He was.</p><p>"You? You must have an overabundance of self confidence to think Nico’s soul is worth anything close to yours! Now, can you help me, Geryon, or not?"</p><p>"Oh, I imagine I could," the rancher said. "Your ghost friend, by the way, where is he?"</p><p>"Probably being a bitch and hiding," Bianca shrugged. Keith hissed whenever Geryon looked at them.</p><p>Geryon smiled in understanding. "I’m sure. Minos likes to disappear when things get…difficult,"</p><p>"Minos! The evil king! That's who you've been getting your advice from?" Percy asked, and honestly she could understand that. Minos was an utter bitch.</p><p>"Percy did I ask for your useless opinion? No? Then fuck off," Bianca said simply. Why couldn't Percy just leave her alone already. Percy looked genuinely hurt by the amount of swearing Bianca was thrusting his way.</p><p>Good.</p><p>"And what do you mean by <em>things getting difficult</em>?"</p><p>The three-bodied man sighed. "Well, you see Bianca-can I call you Bianca?"</p><p>"No,"</p><p>"You see, Bianca, Luke Castellan is offering very good money for halfbloods. Especially powerful half-bloods. And I’m sure when he learns your little secret, who you really are, he’ll pay very, very well indeed."</p><p>"Ah, so this is a threat is it?" Bianca asked. Straightening up. Taking out her knives, her bow and arrow's staying strapped around her back (she still hadn't figured out how to change it into a backpack yet but she swore she would soon). </p><p>"So you do have some brains under all that hair," Geryon said. Having Eurytion knock them out of her hand. Orthus pounced at Keith and growled, his faces an inch away from snapping off Keiths. Keith ran back to the moo mobile. Jumping up onto Percy's shoulder and onto the car roof. Orthus changed direction and pounced on Percy, staying there. Growling at Percy.</p><p>"I would stay in the car, all of you," Geryon warned. "Or Orthus will tear Mr. Jackson’s throat out. Now, Eurytion, if you would be so kind, secure Bianca,"</p><p>The cowherd spit into the grass. "Do I have to?"</p><p>"Yes, you fool!" Eurytion looked bored, but he wrapped one huge arm around Bianca and lifted her up like a wrestler. </p><p>"Pick up the knives, too,” Geryon said with distaste. “There’s nothing I hate worse than Stygian Iron,"</p><p>Eurytion picked them up, careful not to touch the blade. Bianca's other weapons were still firmly strapped to her back. Obviously he thought that without any hands available they wouldn't be dangerous.</p><p>"Now,” Geryon said cheerfully, "we’ve had the tour. Let’s go back to the lodge, have some lunch, and send an Iris-message to our friends in the Titan army."</p><p>"Ohhh, you bitch! When I get my hands on you I'm going to rip you to shred-," Bianca stared to yell, screaming in different languages ranging from Greek, English and Italian all at once. </p><p>"You fiend!" Annabeth cried.</p><p>Geryon smiled at her. "Don’t worry, my dear. Once I’ve delivered Ms. di Angelo, you and your party can go. I don’t interfere with quests. Besides, I’ve been paid well to give you safe passage, which does not, I’m afraid, include Ms. di Angelo."</p><p>"Paid by whom?" Annabeth said. "What do you mean?"</p><p>"Never you mind, darlin’. Let’s be off, shall we?"</p><p>"Wait!" Percy said, and Orthus growled. He stayed perfectly still so the dog wouldn’t tear his throat out. "Geryon, you said you’re a businessman. Make me a deal."</p><p>Geryon narrowed his eyes. "What sort of deal? Do you have gold?"</p><p>"I’ve got something better. Barter."</p><p>"But Mr. Jackson, you’ve got nothing."</p><p>"You could have him clean the stables," Eurytion suggested innocently.</p><p>"I’ll do it" Percy said. "If I fail, you get all of us. Trade us all to Luke for gold."</p><p>"Assuming the horses don’t eat you," Geryon observed. </p><p>"Either way, you get my friends," Percy said. "But if I succeed, you’ve got to let all of us go, including Bianca."</p><p>"Percy, you fucking arse. Let me handle this by myself!" Bianca screamed. She didn't want her life to be in <em>Percy's </em>hands. "Don’t do me any favours, Percy. I don’t want your help!"</p><p>Geryon chuckled. "Percy Jackson, those stables haven’t been cleaned in a thousand years…though it’s true I might be able to sell more stable space if all that poop was cleared away."</p><p>"So what have you got to lose?" The rancher hesitated. "All right, I’ll accept your offer, but you have to get it done by sunset. If you fail, your friends get sold, and I get rich."</p><p>"Deal." He nodded. "I’m going to take your friends with me, back to the lodge. We’ll wait for you there."</p><p>Eurytion gave Percy a funny look. It might have been sympathy. He whistled, and the dog jumped off Percy and onto Annabeth’s lap. She yelped. Bianca knew Tyson and Grover would never try anything as long as Annabeth was hostage. Percy got out of the car and locked eyes with Annabeth.</p><p>"I hope you know what you’re doing," she said quietly. Keith jumped off of the top of the car and onto Percy's shoulder. Bianca was beginning to trust that cats judgement less and less. He stood on Percy's shoulders and rubbed his boned cheek on Percy's alive one. Percy cautiously pat it.</p><p>"I hope so, too." Geryon got behind the driver’s wheel. Eurytion hauled Bianca into the backseat.</p><p>"Sunset," Geryon reminded Percy. "No later." He laughed at Percy once more, sounded his cowbell horn, and the moomobile rumbled off down the trail. </p><p>Bianca gritted her teeth but didn't say a word.</p><p>0-0-0</p><p>Percy smelled barbecue before he reached the house, and that made him madder than ever, because he really love barbecue. </p><p>The cat was on his shoulders still, purring with affection at any scratch on the chin Percy gave it. Honestly it was adorable, even if a little freaky to see without skin and fur.</p><p>The deck was set up for a party. Streamers and balloons decorated the railing. Geryon was flipping burgers on a huge barbecue cooker made from an oil drum. Eurytion lounged at a picnic table, picking his fingernails with a knife. The two-headed dog sniffed the ribs and burgers that were frying on the grill, the cat practically hid behind Percy. Bones and cat did not make a good combination around a dog.</p><p>And then Percy saw his friends: Tyson, Grover, Annabeth, and Bianca all tossed in a corner, tied up like rodeo animals, with their ankles and wrists roped together and their mouths gagged. </p><p>Bianca was struggling like hell, and the moment her eyes locked on Percy she struggled harder.</p><p>"Let them go!" Percy yelled, still out of breath from running up the steps. "I cleaned the stables!"</p><p>Geryon turned. He wore an apron on each chest, with one word on each, so together they spelled out: KISS—THE—CHEF. "Did you, now? How’d you manage it?"</p><p>Percy was pretty impatient, but he told him. Geryon nodded appreciatively. "Very ingenious. It would’ve been better if you’d poisoned that pesky naiad, but no matter."</p><p>"Let my friends go," Percy said. "We had a deal."</p><p>"Ah, I’ve been thinking about that. The problem is, if I let them go, I don’t get paid."</p><p>"You promised!"</p><p>Geryon made a tsk-tsk noise. "But did you make me swear on the River Styx? No you didn’t. So it’s not binding. When you’re conducting business, sonny, you should always get a binding oath."</p><p>Percy drew his sword. Orthus growled. One head leaned down next to Grover’s ear and bared its fangs. The cat looked ready to fight it to the death if it hurt it's owner.</p><p>"Eurytion," Geryon said, "the boy is starting to annoy me. Kill him."</p><p>Eurytion studied Percy, and Percy didn’t like his odds against Eurytion and that huge club. "Kill him yourself,"</p><p>Geryon raised his eyebrows. "Excuse me?"</p><p>"You heard me," Eurytion grumbled. "You keep sending me out to do your dirty work. You pick fights for no good reason, and I’m getting tired of dying for you. You want to fight the kid, do it yourself."</p><p>It was the most un-Ares like thing Percy had ever heard a son of Ares say.</p><p>Geryon threw down his spatula. "You dare defy me? I should fire you right now!"</p><p>"And who’d take care of your cattle? Orthus, heel." The dog immediately stopped growling at Grover and came to sit by the cowherd’s feet. The cat stopped looking so aggressive and jumped off of Percy's shoulder. Sauntering over to it's previous owner.</p><p>"Fine!" Geryon snarled. "I’ll deal with you later, after the boy is dead!"</p><p>He picked up two carving knives and threw them at Percy, who deflected one with his sword. The other impaled itself in the picnic table an inch from Eurytion’s hand. Percy went on the attack. Geryon parried his first strike with a pair of red-hot tongs and lunged at Percy's face with a barbecue fork. He got inside Geryons next thrust and stabbed him right through the middle chest.</p><p>"Aghhh!" He crumpled to his knees. Percy waited for him to disintegrate, the way monsters usually do. But instead he just grimaced and started to stand up. The wound in his chef’s apron started to heal.</p><p>"Nice try, sonny," he said. "Thing is, I have three hearts. The perfect backup system." He tipped over the barbecue, and coals spilled everywhere. One landed next to Annabeth’s face, and she let out a muffled scream. Tyson strained against his bonds, but even his strength wasn’t enough to break them. Bianca had calmed down her struggling a bit when the cat came over. Percy had to end this fight before his friends got hurt.</p><p>Percy jabbed Geryon in the left chest, but he only laughed. Percy stuck him in the right stomach. No good. He might as well have been sticking a sword in a teddy bear for all the reaction he showed. Three hearts. The perfect backup system. Stabbing one at a time was no good.</p><p>Percy ran into the house.</p><p>"Coward!" Geryon cried. "Come back and die right!" The living room walls were decorated with a bunch of gruesome hunting trophies—stuffed deer and dragon heads, a gun case, a sword display, and a bow with a quiver.</p><p>Geryon threw his barbecue fork, and it thudded into the wall right next to Percy's head. He drew two swords from the wall display. "Your head’s gonna go right there, Jackson! Next to the grizzly bear!"</p><p>Percy had a crazy idea. He dropped Riptide and grabbed the bow off the wall. </p><p>Percy was the worst archery shot in the world. He couldn’t hit the targets at camp, much less a bull’s eye. But he had no choice. Percy couldn’t win this fight with a sword. He prayed to Artemis and Apollo, the twin archers, hoping they might take pity on him for once.</p><p>
  <em>Please, guys. Just one shot. Please.</em>
</p><p>Percy notched an arrow. Geryon laughed. "You fool! One arrow is no better than one sword."</p><p>He raised his swords and charged. Percy dove sideways. Before Geryon could turn, Percy shot my arrow into the side of his right chest. He heard THUMP, THUMP, THUMP, as the arrow passed clean through each of Geryons chests and flew out his left side, embedding itself in the forehead of the grizzly bear trophy.</p><p>Geryon dropped his swords. He turned and stared at Percy. "You can’t shoot. They told me you couldn’t…" His face turned a sickly shade of green. He collapsed to his knees and began crumbling into sand, until all that was left were three cooking aprons and an oversized pair of cowboy boots.</p><p>0-0-0</p><p>Percy got his friends untied. Eurytion didn’t try to stop them. Then he stoked up the barbecue and threw the food into the flames as a burnt offering for Artemis and Apollo. </p><p>"Thanks, guys," Percy said. "I owe you one."</p><p>The sky thundered in the distance, so he figured maybe the burgers smelled okay.</p><p>"Yay for Percy!" Tyson said. "</p><p>"Can we tie up this cowherd now?" Grover asked. "And that dog almost killed me!"</p><p>Percy looked at Eurytion, who still was sitting relaxed at the picnic table. Orthus had both his heads on the cowherd’s knee.</p><p>"How long will it take Geryon to re-form?" Percy asked him.</p><p>Eurytion shrugged. "Hundred years? He’s not one of those fast re-formers, thank the gods. You’ve done me a favor."</p><p>"You said you’d died for him before," Percy remembered. "How?"</p><p>"I’ve worked for that creep for thousands of years. Started as a regular half-blood, but I chose immortality when my dad offered it. Worst mistake I ever made. Now I’m stuck here at this ranch. I can’t leave. I can’t quit. I just tend the cows and fight Geryon’s fights. We’re kinda tied together."</p><p>"Maybe you can change things," Percy said. </p><p>Eurytion narrowed his eyes. "How?"</p><p>"Be nice to the animals. Take care of them. Stop selling them for food. And stop dealing with the Titans."</p><p>Eurytion thought about that. "That’d be all right."</p><p>"Get the animals on your side, and they’ll help you. Once Geryon gets back, maybe he’ll be working for you this time."</p><p>Eurytion grinned. "Now, that I could live with."</p><p>"You won’t try to stop us leaving?"</p><p>"Shoot, no."</p><p>Annabeth rubbed her bruised wrists. She was still looking at Eurytion suspiciously. "Your boss said somebody paid for our safe passage. Who?"</p><p>The cowherd shrugged. "Maybe he was just saying that to fool you."</p><p>"What about the Titans?" Percy asked. "Did you Iris-message them about Bianca yet?"</p><p>"Nope. Geryon was waiting until after the barbecue. They don’t know about him."</p><p>Bianca, who had just been patting the cat and calling it a traitor in a stern tone, had now turned her attention to Percy. Glaring at him up and down. Percy wasn’t sure what to do about her. He doubted she would agree to come with them. On the other hand, Percy couldn’t just let her roam around on her own.</p><p>"You could stay here until we’re done with our quest," Percy told her. "It would be safe."</p><p>"Safe?!" Bianca screeched. Percy instantly knew that was the wrong thing to say. "Do you think I fucking care about my safety! Do you think you actually care about my safety! No! It's just your <em>guilt </em>on Nico's death making you not want to '<em>screw up again</em>'," Bianca spat out. "Well you've already screwed up enough Percy, just leave me the fuck alone!"</p><p>"Binaca," Annabeth said, "that wasn’t Percy’s fault. And Geryon wasn’t lying about Kronos wanting to capture you. If he knew who you were, he’d do anything to get you on his side."</p><p>"You think I give a single shit about this war? Because I don't."</p><p>"You should," Annabeth said. "Your brother wouldn’t want,"</p><p>"How do you know you <em>haven't even <strong>met him</strong></em>," Bianca yelled, point her finger at Annabeth. She looked more threatening than most monsters Percy had ever faced. Then Percy remembered something.</p><p>"You said you were trying to find the workshop," Percy said. "Did you mean Daedalus's workshop?"</p><p>"I don't have to explain anything to you, <em>Jackson</em>," Bianca seethed his name as it it was a deadly sin. Percy felt horrible.</p><p>"But I thought you were here for my soul, not to go to the workshop,"</p><p>"Why would I want your soul?! Nico was an Innocent kid, I'd need someone worth much more to get him back," </p><p>"Nico wouldn’t want to be brought back," Percy said. "Not like this."</p><p>"You think I don't know that!" Bianca shouted. Everyone else was watching the screaming match as if to see which one of them would draw their weapons first, as Bianca had gotten hers back already. "You think for a second that I haven't tried other ways?! I'm at the end of my limit, I've reached the breaking point. I'm going to get him back even if it means me dying along the way,"</p><p>Percy's breath hitched. Because looking at Bianca he could see a girl so broken and desperate. Feeding off of a goal to the point it was the only thing giving her hope. He'd truly shattered her with his mistakes. She was running out of options and she knew it, as if she was an injured animal backed into a corner, lashing out at everything in a final stand.</p><p>Percy stared at the flames in the barbecue pit. He thought about the line in Annabeth’s prophecy:<em> You shall rise or fall by the ghost king’s hand.</em> That had to be Minos, and he had to convince Bianca not to listen to him. "Let’s ask Nico."</p><p>The sky seemed to grow darker all of a sudden.</p><p>"He cut contact a few weeks ago," Bianca hissed. Though her eyes held more sadness than ever before. "He's not responding to any summons,"</p><p>"Try again. I’ve got a feeling he’ll answer with me here.,"</p><p>"Why would he?!"</p><p>"Because he’s been sending me Iris-messages," Percy said, suddenly sure of it. “He’s been trying to warn me what you’re up to, so I can protect you."</p><p>Bianca shook her head. "That’s....that's impossible."</p><p>"One way to find out. You said you’re not afraid." Percy turned to Eurytion. "We’re going to need a pit, like a grave. And food and drinks."</p><p>"Percy," Annabeth warned. "I don’t think this is a good-,"</p><p>"All right," Bianca said, very reluctantly. "I’ll try."</p><p>Eurytion scratched his beard. "There’s a hole dug out back for a septic tank. We could use that. Cyclops boy, fetch my ice chest from the kitchen. I hope the dead like root beer."</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Thank you for reading!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Dead Brother</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Neeks and some progress with Bianca</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>They did the summons after dark, at a twenty-foot-long pit in front of the septic tank. The tank was bright yellow, with a smiley face and red words painted on the side: HAPPY FLUSH DISPOSAL CO. It didn’t quite go with the mood of summoning the dead. </p><p>The moon was full. Silver clouds drifted across the sky.</p><p>"Minos should be here by now," Bianca said, frowning. "Good,"</p><p>"You don't like Minos, do you?" Percy asked.</p><p>"Nope, he's a liar," Bianca looked Percy straight in the eye with a radiating gaze that Percy could feel was beginning to make him shrivel up. "I always hated liars,"</p><p>Percy knew that was an attack on him but he chose not to comment. Bianca poured root beer and tossed barbecue into the pit, then began chanting in Ancient Greek. Immediately the bugs in the woods stopped chirping. In Percy's pocket, the Stygian ice dog whistle started to grow colder, freezing against the side of his leg. </p><p>“Make her stop,” Tyson whispered to Percy.</p><p>Part of him agreed. This was unnatural. The night air felt cold and menacing. But before Percy could say anything, the first spirits appeared. Sulphurous mist seeped out of the ground. Shadows thickened into human forms. One blue shade drifted to the edge of the pit and knelt to drink.</p><p>“Stop him!” Bianca said, momentarily breaking her chant. “Only Nico may drink!”</p><p>Percy drew Riptide. The ghosts retreated with a collective hiss at the sight of the celestial bronze blade. But it was too late to stop the first spirit. He had already solidified into the shape of a bearded man in white robes. A circlet of gold wreathed his head, and even in death his eyes were alive with malice. The cat (now Percy knew him as Keith) began to hiss at the ghost, but didn't try to attack him.</p><p>“Minos!” Bianca looked at him as if she expected it. “What are you doing?” </p><p>“My apologies, master,” the ghost said, though he didn’t sound very sorry. “The sacrifice smelled so good, I couldn’t resist.” He examined his own hands and smiled. “It is good to see myself again. Almost in solid form—”</p><p>“You are disrupting the ritual!” Bianca protested. “Get—” The spirits of the dead began shimmering dangerously bright, and Bianca had to take up the chant again to keep them at bay.</p><p>“Yes, quite right, master,” Minos said with amusement. “You keep chanting. I’ve only come to protect you from these <em>liars</em> who would deceive you.” </p><p>He turned to Percy as if he were some kind of cockroach. “Percy Jackson…my, my. The sons of Poseidon haven’t improved over the centuries, have they?”</p><p>Percy wanted to punch him, but he figured his fist would go right through Minos's face. “We’re looking for Nico di Angelo, get lost.” </p><p>The ghost chuckled. “I understand you once killed my Minotaur with your bare hands. But worse things await you in the maze. Do you really believe Daedalus will help you?” </p><p>Bianca was gritting her teeth and the chant became more forced. The other spirits stirred in agitation. Annabeth drew her knife and helped him keep them away from the pit. Grover got so nervous he clung to Tyson’s shoulder.</p><p>“Daedalus cares nothing for you, half-bloods,” Minos warned. “You can’t trust him. He is old beyond counting, and crafty. He is bitter from the guilt of murder and is cursed by the gods.” </p><p>“The guilt of murder?” Percy asked. “Who did he kill?”</p><p>“Do not changed the subject!” the ghost growled. “You are hindering Bianca. You try to persuade her to give up on his goal. I would make her a lord!”</p><p>“Enough, Minos,” Bianca commanded. She stared at the ghost with hate, her eyes screamed it, but it seemed like the ghost was deaf.</p><p>The ghost sneered. “Master, these are your enemies. You must not listen to them! Let me protect you. I will turn their minds to madness, as I did the others.”</p><p>“The others?” Annabeth gasped. “You mean Chris Rodriguez? That was you?”</p><p>“The maze is my property,” the ghost said, “not Daedalus’s! Those who intrude deserve madness.”</p><p>“Leave, Minos!” Bianca demanded. “I want to see my brother!”</p><p>The ghost bit back his rage. “As you wish, master. But I warn you. You cannot trust these heroes.”</p><p>With that, he faded into mist. Other spirits rushed forward, but Annabeth and Percy kept them back.</p><p>“Nico, appear!” Bianca intoned. She started chanting faster, and the spirits shifted restlessly.</p><p>“Any time now,” Grover muttered. Then a silvery light flickered in the trees—a spirit that seemed brighter and stronger than the others. It came closer, and something told him to let it pass. It knelt to drink at the pit. When it arose, it was the ghostly form of Nico di Angelo.</p><p>Bianca's chanting faltered. Percy lowered his sword. The other spirits started to crowd forward, but Nico raised his arms and they retreated into the woods. </p><p>"Hi! Percy!" Nico had a smile that almost made him seem alive. Percy felt himself choke back a sob. He was way too excited for someone who was dead.</p><p>"Nico," Percy said. His voice was thick. Percy had felt guilty about Nico's death for a long time, but seeing him in front was five times as bad, like his death was fresh and new. Percy remembered searching through the wreckage of the giant bronze warrior he’d sacrificed his life to defeat, and not finding any sign of him.</p><p>They hadn't even found a body to bury. They hadn't had enough time to give him a warriors funeral.</p><p>“I’m so sorry,” Percy said. </p><p>"It's okay, It's cool being a ghost, I've gotten to walk through walls so doors don't bother me now. There's so much weird things inside of a house that nobody ever see's," Nico said it as if it was reassuring. "And it wasn't your fault, I got overconfident, and made a dumb decision,"</p><p>“Nico!” Bianca stumbled forward like she was just coming out of a daze.</p><p>Instead of the reaction Percy expected, lots of love and reassurance, he got something much more different.</p><p>"What did I tell you," Nico had a frown on his face. Bianca looked like she expected it.</p><p>"Nico-,"</p><p>"No, what did I tell you,"</p><p>Bianca stared at the ground for a bit before mumbling something Percy couldn't hear.</p><p>"I told you to stop! And what do you do?! Continue!" Nico didn't shout, he still had a childish face on, it sounded more like whining to be honest. As if he had lost all of his patience. "You're hurting yourself and Percy just wants to help! Let him do that, please,"</p><p>“Why didn’t you answer me sooner?” she cried. “I’ve been trying for weeks!”</p><p>“I was hoping you would give up if I wasn't there.”</p><p>“Give up?!” She sounded pissed. “How can you say that? I’m trying to save you!” </p><p>“You can’t, Bianca. Don’t do this. Percy is right.”</p><p>“No! He let you die! He’s not your friend.” Bianca was screaming. She had tears streaming down her face.</p><p>“You must listen to me, you haven't listened to me before but you must now,” he said. “Holding a grudge is dangerous for a child of Hades. It is our fatal flaw. You have to forgive. You have to promise me this.” </p><p>“I can’t. Never.”</p><p>“Percy has been worried about you! Bianca, he will help. I let him see what you were up to, hoping he would find you.”</p><p>“So it was you,” Percy said. “You sent those Iris-messages.” </p><p>Nico nodded excitedly, it seemed like whenever Percy had his eyes on him then he'd get overexcited.</p><p>“Why are you helping him and not me?” Bianca cried. “It’s not fair!” </p><p>“Bianca I know you're not mad at Percy, you never were.” Nico said simply. Bianca flinched at the truth. “You're mad at yourself, and it's easier to try to blame others than blame yourself, Percy's just a bystander.”</p><p>“You’re mad at yourself because you left to become a Hunter of Artemis. You’re mad because I died and left you alone when you were deciding to leave to join me again. I’m sorry for that, Bianca. I am. But you must stop being so angry. And stop blaming Percy for your choices. You'll die because of it,” </p><p>“She’s right,” Annabeth broke in. “Kronos is rising, Bianca. He’ll twist anyone he can to his cause.”</p><p>“Shut up!” Bianca roared. “I just want my brother back. I don't care about Kronos,”</p><p>“You can’t have that, Bianca,” Nico told her, firm. Using enough force to seem like he was the older sibling. "You need to stop,"</p><p>“I’m the daughter of Hades! I can.”</p><p>“Don’t try,” he said. “If you love me, don’t…” His voice trailed off. Spirits had started to gather around them again, and they seemed agitated. Their shadows shifted. Their voices whispered, Danger!</p><p>“Tartarus stirs,” Nico said. “Final things to say, Percy. you need to get through to her, she's hurting herself. The moment I leave her alone she get's new scars,”</p><p>Percy shivered at the implications. But nodded.</p><p>“Wait,” Bianca said. “Please-,”</p><p>“Good-bye, Bianca,” Nico said. “I love you. Remember what I said.” His form shivered and the ghosts disappeared, leaving them alone with a pit, a Happy Flush septic tank, and a cold full moon. </p><p>0-0-0</p><p>The next morning Percy walked down to the cattle guard and said his goodbyes. “Bianca, you could come with us,”</p><p>The girl was back inside her leather jacket. Her short hair was a mess and her eyes were red, she looked so depressed Percy half expected her not to fight at all.</p><p>"Percy, I'm not-,"</p><p>"Bianca you <em>are </em>coming with us," Annabeth said firmly. Before her eyes softened just a bit. "Nico just wants you to be okay,"</p><p>For some reason Bianca clutched to her fabric even tighter than before. Keith snuggled up against her face but she didn't move her hand. Gritting her teeth before meeting Annabeth's eyes. "I'm not going to stop trying to get Nico back,"</p><p>"I know,"</p><p>"And you're okay with that?"</p><p>"As long as you come along," Annabeth held no room for argument. Bianca just sighed and nodded. Making sure she wasn't touching Percy with a ten foot poll.</p><p>0-0-0</p><p>"Is every adventure you go on like this!" It was the first time Bianca had willingly talked to Percy, and to make a snide comment of all things.</p><p>Bianca was currently running away as the Sphinx brought down another paw. She still kept her distance from Percy, but somehow now it was only nine feet instead of ten.</p><p>"Yeah, pretty much!" Percy yelled back.</p><p>0-0-0</p><p>"Believe me, young Cyclops," Hephaestus said, "you can’t trust others. All you can trust is the work of your own hands."</p><p>"I really can't," Bianca said. Glaring at Hephaestus. "I really can not trust in your machines,"</p><p>Percy could relate to that. One time in Denver, his mechanical spiders had almost killed Annabeth and him. And last year, it had been a defective Talos statue that cost Nico his life—another one of Hephaestus’s little projects. </p><p>"Oh, this one doesn't like me," The god mused. "No worries, I'm used to that. What would you ask of me, little demigod?"</p><p>"I need to find Daedalus, I don't care for the others," Bianca pointed around her. "But I need to get his soul, no matter what,"</p><p>"Do all of you agree with this sentiment?"</p><p>"No, but I'm stuck with them for now," Bianca said seriously. "So how do we find Daedalus, Lord Hephaestus,"</p><p>0-0-0</p><p>“Hold it!” Percy said, but before he could argue, she put on her Yankees cap and turned invisible. </p><p>"Did... did that <em>bitch </em>just leave me alone with you?!" Bianca hissed.</p><p>"Hey," Percy turned back around to Bianca. "Don't call my friend a <em>bitch</em>,"</p><p>Bianca snorted. Keith was sitting on her head comfortably, almost as if he was asleep. "<em>Friend, </em>yeah right, you two have been mentally making out since you reunited last year,"</p><p>"<em>What</em>?!" Percy almost screeched, only to remember that he was inside an active volcano. "A-Annabeth and I are just friends,"</p><p>"Keep telling yourself that," And Percy could swear the girl almost smiled.</p><p>0-0-0</p><p>“Put your cap back on,” Percy said. “Get out!”</p><p>“What?” Annabeth shrieked. “No! I’m not leaving you.”</p><p>“I’ve got a plan. I’ll distract them. You can use the metal spider—maybe it’ll lead you back to Hephaestus. You have to tell him what’s going on.”</p><p>"Bianca can do that-,"</p><p>"Annabeth," Bianca looked Annabeth straight in the eyes. Keith jumped off of Bianca's head and onto the ground but the girl barely even noticed. "Don't worry, I'll keep this asshole alive,"</p><p>"Swear it,"</p><p>"Annabeth, you don't need to-,"</p><p>"Swear it on the Styx," Annabeth repeated. Percy felt like a third wheel more than anything he didn't know <em>what </em>Bianca was talking about.</p><p>Bianca looked Annabeth with a gaze that could melt diamonds. "I swear on the river Styx that Percy Jackson won't die while he's in the volcano with me,"</p><p>Thunder boomed in the background as Annabeth got ushered away by a very apprehensive Bianca. Percy stared in shock.</p><p>"Why...?"</p><p>"Don't get your hopes up dickwad, I still hate you,"</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I'm not good at angst at all. And this is more of a pet project for me, so it probably won't be that good.<br/>Honestly, this should've been a one-shot in my opinion. But hey!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Affection</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Bianca is a lesbian and bonds with woman (Also relates to a one eyed kid)</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Ow,”</p><p>Bianca opened her eyes. Trying to find out where she was.</p><p>She was on an island. Tall trees, obviously palm, a waterfall probably in the distance, and handmade stone paths could be seen in her peripheral vision.</p><p>But the most interesting thing was that she was lying on top of Percy Jackson's chiselled abs.</p><p>Bianca was not interested in the slightest, men weren't shit. Now, if she'd woken up on <em>Annabeths </em>chest that would be a whole different story. Instead, Bianca attempted to roll over, only to find Percy unconsciously hugging her close.</p><p>She tried to remember back to what had happened to getting her to allow Percy to even touch her.</p><p>Oh yeah. Lots of screaming, and struggling as Percy shielded her from literal lava.</p><p>Huh.</p><p>She should just stab the dude. She really should. Bianca desperately just wanted Percy to leave her the fuck alone to get her to do her business. Which was to revive her dead brother.</p><p>But, like, <em> Annabeth </em>would be disappointed in her. She hated being a liar. And even if she wouldn’t be in the volcano and so she wouldn’t break the promise, she’d still be a liar to Annabeth.</p><p>Nico would also be disappointed once he got revived.</p><p>So Bianca kept her hunting knives safe and clean for the moment.</p><p>Bianca did the next best thing she could do while Percy was susceptible to weak attacks.</p><p>She slapped him in the face.</p><p>Percy yelped. Brining both hands off her and toward his face. Letting Bianca roll off and get up, though a little painful not impossible. Her body ached and groaned in being used, but it still complied.</p><p>“Why?!” Percy yelled in a croaky voice before coughing. Whispering in a muted voice. “So much for me saving your life,”</p><p>“You were touching my ass,” He wasn’t. But seeing Percy curl in guilt for her slapping him made her satisfaction feel better.</p><p>“Sorry,”</p><p>She waved him off. Kind of wanting to just pull out a middle finger at him, but Percy looked like he was going to pass out from pain so she held back on any more insults. Even she knew when to stop kicking the dead half blood (no, she didn’t. She was a child of Hades she could order them back on their feet to kick them again).</p><p>“Wait,” Bianca paused, checking around them. “Where the fuck is Keith?”</p><p>Bianca couldn’t see her favourite skeleton cat anywhere.</p><p>“Didn’t he go with Annabeth?” Percy asked. Trying to sit up but failing and lying in the sand.</p><p>Bianca tried to remember back. Honestly her memory just got stuck on the fact that Percy had shielded her from literal lava, didn’t she make a promise? She was bad with memories.</p><p>(Did you know? A side effect of depression is <em> memory loss)</em></p><p>“Oh,” A girl said from the side. Making Bianca turn her body to the left to see who it was. Meeting face to face with the most beautiful girl she’d ever <em> seen</em>. All natural beauty, with a kind smile and forgiving eyes.  Bianca literally stumbled over for a second because of how pretty she was. “There’s never been a <em> girl </em>before,”</p><p>“I’m Bianca,” She pointed to herself. “This is Percy, and you are?”</p><p>“Calypso,” The girl smiled at her. “And welcome to my island,”</p><p>0-0-0</p><p>The first thing Bianca said as she crashed her own funeral was. “You know you’re doing it wrong, right?”</p><p>Calypso stood beside her, nodding her head in agreement. Even while recently coming back from shadow travel she still had the energy to agree.</p><p>Everybody screamed, not letting Bianca complain about their lack of proper funeral knowledge.</p><p>Rude.</p><p>0-0-0</p><p>“Do you want to help me?” Bianca asked. Tomorrow, Annabeth and Percy would go to a bunch of detours before going to the place she needed to go. She didn’t have time.</p><p>What she, evidentially, had had the time to do was change her shirt to a queen band one, clean her leather jacket and pants, and get a new pair of sneakers (Black. She had an aesthetic okay!).</p><p>That aside though, while she might not mind Annabeth, she didn’t want to be around Percy anymore than she had to. The fact also remained, that the two of them had differing goals. Percy wanted to convince, Bianca wanted to kill.</p><p>Calypso smiled serenely. She’d lost the use of her magic since coming off the island, but she still had knowledge of magical items, and was a great companion. “What do you need?”</p><p>“To go into the Labyrinth. I need help killing a man,”</p><p>Nothing says two women bonding then killing a man together.</p><p>0-0-0</p><p>"Why are you doing this?" Calypso asks as they walked through the place, each room was different and trying to kill them. Bianca always just summoned the dead, or sometimes let Calypso punch them in the face. They made a pretty good team, even if neither of them truly understood anything modern.</p><p>"None of you're business,"</p><p>Calypso fumed just a bit. "I might die for this mission, I would like to know what I'm dying for,"</p><p>Bianca stared at Calypso, up and down. Before sighing. "My brother is dead and I need to bring him back,"</p><p>Calypso blinked.</p><p>Bianca didn't give any further explanation than that. She continued to walk forward, trying to figure out a direction to go. Keith was around her neck, begging for attention because of course he was, that cat was one of the biggest stars she knew.</p><p>Suddenly, out of nowhere, a kid with an eyepatch and Greek armour bashed into her.</p><p>It was probably accidental, maybe because of the fact he had low depth perception. Still, Bianca didn't even really flinch while the kid flew back and landed on his butt.</p><p>"We've got company," Bianca whispered. She took a look at him. "Now, who are you?"</p><p>The kid scrambled, moving back. Bianca narrowed her eyes just a bit. Before widening them. "Ethan?"</p><p>"Bianca?"</p><p>"Who?" Calypso came up to her side. Looking back and forth between the two.</p><p>"Oh, he was in the Hermes cabin," Bianca had checked inside the Hermes while Nico had been in there. Sometimes she'd talked to the other people in there. So she already knew the Stoll siblings, but Nakamura had been one she'd regularly talked to. "Now what are you doing here?"</p><p>Ethan stood up, dusted himself off a bit and stared at Bianca. "I'm here for Kronos, what about you?"</p><p>Bianca stared. "Well I'm here to revive my dead brother, good luck dude,"</p><p>Ethan nodded. Though before he went he gave Keith a quick, welcome pat. </p><p>Calypso watched the interaction, perpetually freaked out.  </p><p>0-0-0</p><p>Percy thought he would be dead five times over at this point. Kelli and Minos were there, selling out Daedalus, Rachel was still getting the wings and everything was falling apart. Then Bianca burst into the room, Calypso coming a few seconds after her.</p><p>"Oh," Bianca narrowed her eyes. At Minos, surprisingly not at Percy. "It's <em>you</em>,"</p><p>"Bianca di Angelo," Minos said as if he'd triumphed. "You thought you were the master-,"</p><p>"Yeah, don't care Minos," Bianca said as if it was obvious. Waving her hand in a flicking motion. Minos obviously tried to stay but he couldn't, his master had commanded it so it was an order he had to follow. The ground rumbled. The windows cracked and shattered to pieces, letting in a blast of fresh air. A fissure opened in the stone floor of the workshop, and Minos and all his spirits were sucked into the void with a horrible wail. "See you at the judgement hall,"</p><p>Bianca turned to the left, looked straight at Quintus.</p><p>"Hello Daedalus," Bianca's smile was cruel, as if she had already one a game. Her walk was slow, there was no need to run when her prey was cornered. Her knives were out, each with an aura of there own that begged to kill. Keith the cat stayed on her shoulder, somehow making her look more threatening.</p><p>They were screwed.</p><p>Especially Percy, seeing as he was about to get jumped by Kelli the Empousa while he'd been distracted.</p><p>His head banged to the floor, he was barely keeping himself from dying as Kelli was pushing down at his own sword onto his throat.</p><p>Kelli's smile was wicked, and especially terrifying when he was up close and personal.</p><p>Then it wasn't there, and instead replaced by the fist of Calypso. Kelli's body went slamming to his right, crashing into designs and multiple laptop's.</p><p>"Need a hand?" Calypso reached out and helped Percy up.</p><p>"Thanks," Percy said. He still felt dizzy, but we had no time to lose. Mrs. O’Leary and Daedalus were still locked in combat with the giants, Annabeth was barely keeping Bianca at bay from absolutely totalling Daedalus, and Percy could hear shouting in the tunnel. More monsters were coming toward the workshop. "We have to help Annabeth!"</p><p>"There's no time!" Calypso started to forcefully drag Percy over to where Rachel was. "And she's a smart girl, she'll stay alive,"</p><p>In seconds, Percy, Calypso and Rachel, had fitted themselves with coppery wings. Already Percy could feel himself being lifted by the wind coming through the window. Greek fire was burning the tables and furniture, spreading up the circular stairs.</p><p>“Annabeth!” Percy yelled. “Come on!”</p><p>He couldn't just leave her behind!</p><p>
  <strike>Though some part of him knew that she'd never get the wings on in time.</strike>
</p><p>Bianca seemed to have finally realised how bad the situation was, because instead of trying to cut Daedalus, she grabbed Annabeth hand and dragged her behind Mrs O'Leary. Which Percy knew was only going to make things worse.</p><p>"Go!" Bianca yelled. "I'll get her out of this alive,"</p><p>Percy wanted to protest. But there wasn't enough <em>time</em>.</p><p>Some part of him also knew, though, that Bianca wouldn't lie.</p><p>Not about this.</p><p>Not <em>ever </em>about this.</p><p>0-0-0</p><p>Knife clashed against knife. Bianca's black cold eyes fell upon Annabeth's harsh grey ones.</p><p>"This is how you thank me for getting you out of there!" Bianca yelled as she jumped back, avoiding another one of Annabeth's slashes.</p><p>"That wasn't you, that was Mrs O'Leary and you know it," Annabeth yelled. "And anyway, I'm not going to let you hurt Daedalus!"</p><p>Daedalus was currently watching the two girls fight, while also half keeping an eye on Keith and Mrs O’Leary playing together. Making sure that his dog didn't actually harm Keith in any way.</p><p>"Why?" Bianca was honestly curious. "Why would you-he already told you that he wasn't going to give you the string as he gave it away! It's not like you'll save Camp Half-blood if you do this, it'll still be destroyed by Luke's army."</p><p>Annabeth flinched at the reminder, her eyes calculating what to say next. Before she decided on. "Nico wouldn't want to be revived like this-,"</p><p>She threw the hunting knife straight at Annabeth's face to shut her up. Annabeth only barely dodged.</p><p>Bianca was breathing heavily, she really should just summon the dead to escort her back to Camp Half blood, but if she did that Annabeth would probably die. Which... Bianca surprisingly didn't want.</p><p>"Stop talking about Nico like you knew him," Bianca spat out. "You only met him when he was already <em>dead</em>,"</p><p>"I knew him from when Percy and Grover cried on my shoulder, blaming themselves for his death," Annabeth confessed. "I might not have known him personally, but I know the people he left behind,"</p><p>Bianca flinched. Annabeth seemed to soften and take a step closer, Bianca would've taken a step back if her feet weren't firmly planted on the floor,"</p><p>"Everybody has survivors guilt," Annabeth gave a wet laugh. "Fuck, if I hadn't gotten stupidly captured then I could've gone on the quest instead of Nico,"</p><p>"Hey-no!" Bianca stopped her there. "No,"</p><p>"What?"</p><p>"NO," She said more firmly. "Look, the only one whose at fault for Nico's death is me and Nico himself,"</p><p>Annabeth stared at her. Before rubbing her eyes a few times. "Your not at fault here,"</p><p>"Shut up,"</p><p>"I'm being serious,"</p><p>"Oh please," Bianca tried to make a real grin, it only came out as self deprecating. "I'm practically the ruler of ghosts, so no wonder my brother ended up dying,"</p><p>Annabeth seemed to snap out of her little funk, as suddenly she was grasping onto Bianca's arm so tightly it was another reminder she was alive.</p><p>
  <strike>Along with the tallies. So many tallies, she'd lost count.</strike>
</p><p>"You're the one in the prophecy,"</p><p>What?</p><p>"What do you-,"</p><p>"I thought it was talking about Minos but it was talking about <em>you</em>!" Annabeth another wet laugh and in a fit of desperation Bianca turned to Daedalus to see whether he'd released laughing gas or something. Daedalus just shrugged. "We can still save camp!"</p><p>"We?" Bianca raised an eyebrow. "If I go back to camp the only thing I'm doing is picking up Calypso and moving to, I don't know, Indiana or something ,"</p><p>”Please! You’re the ghost king-,”</p><p>”King?! I’m a girl!”</p><p>”-You’re in the prophecy! You decide whether camp lives or dies!” Annabeth pleaded. </p><p>”And why should I care about the stupid camp! All it did was get my brother killed!” Bianca yelled.</p><p>”Please!” Annabeth begged. “Camp half blood is my home! I can’t let it die!”</p><p>Bianca stared. Long and hard, before sighing and groaning hard. She should just kill Daedalus and be done with it, she really should.</p><p>Fuck!</p><p>Why did Annabeth have to look pretty?!</p><p>Her eyes were like a baby owls, wide, and adorable and impossible to say no to. The only option that wouldn't have her do whatever Annabeth wanted was running away. And that wasn't really an option in the first place.</p><p>"Ughhhhh!" Bianca yelled, and kicked a rock. "Fine! Fine! I'll save your stupid camp!"</p><p>Annabeth seemed to beam. And yep. That was it. Shit.</p><p>She walked over to Daedalus, who was now watching Keith sleep on the hellhounds head.</p><p>Daedalus looked at her. "So will you use my soul to revive your brother-,"</p><p>"I don't know," Bianca interrupted. "I'll decide later,"</p><p>They began to walk through the labyrinth.</p><p>0-0-0</p><p>Percy was out of options.</p><p>He was on the ground. The Kampê right above him, breathing poisonous gas all around him that was slowly weakening his lungs. Nobody was coming to help, as they were all to scared to fight the Kampê, already dead or to far away. The closest thing Percy had to help was the arrows Chiron had lodged into the beasts chest. Which only made it madder.</p><p>He was screwed.</p><p>He didn't even know whether Annabeth and Bianca were live and he was probably going to die before he found out.</p><p>Then, behind him, something howled. A wall of darkness slammed into the Kampê, sending the monster sideways. And Mrs. O’Leary was standing over him, snarling and snapping at Kampê.</p><p>Another animal climbed onto Percy's shoulder. A familiar cat, all skeletal, that hisses at the Kampê, offering his own support.</p><p>“Good girl!” said a familiar voice. Daedalus was fighting his way out of the Labyrinth, slashing down enemies left and right as he made his way toward Percy. Next to him was someone else—a familiar giant, much taller than the Laistrygonians, with a hundred rippling arms, each holding a huge chunk of rock.</p><p>Behind him, though, was where most of Percy's attention was taken.</p><p>"ANNABETH!" Percy yelled as he practically scrambled up. Relieved to see his friend <em>alive</em>. His eyes also caught onto the fact that Bianca was there too.</p><p>The two girls ran over towards him. Bianca spoke first.</p><p>"You're going to need reinforcements if you want to drive back those monsters," Bianca quipped. "I mean, I haven't summoned this many... but there's a first time for everything,"</p><p>Bianca shrugged, before spitting into both hands and planting them onto the floor, she leant down as if the was going to start a rely race.</p><p>"Serve me," She whispered and the ground instantly followed her command. Troops, former soldiers from camp half blood, rose from the ground, carrying spears and swords. Ready to defend their former <em>home</em>. They all looked to Bianca for commands. There had to be about a hundred of them. "Attack the monsters, but don't kill the hundred armed giant, or this hellhound,"</p><p>The Skeletons simultaneously nodded and charged into battle. Helping to push back the enemy, and reach people who were wounded and too far into enemy lines.</p><p>Bianca's legs shook, so she leaned up against Annabeth, who grappled onto her tightly.</p><p>"You think that'll do it?" Bianca whispered.</p><p>"Thats more that enough," Annabeth smiled.</p><p>0-0-0</p><p>Bianca didn't know what to do at this point.</p><p>Daedalus was <em>letting </em>her use his soul to revive Nico. It wasn't murder, more like... assisted suicide. Which honestly didn't make it any better but now she could get Nico back. He could <em>come back</em>.</p><p>And yet...</p><p>Everyone was looking at her. Waiting to see what she would chose. Calypso, Annabeth, Percy. All of them were staring to see what she'd decide.</p><p>“No,” Bianca said. Deciding she wasn't going to do it like <em>this</em>. “I will help you release your spirit. But... Nico would never accept being alive again by this method,"</p><p>Daedalus nodded. Though some part of him looked disappointed. “One last favour, Bianca di Angelo. I cannot leave Mrs. O’Leary alone. And she has no desire to return to the Underworld. Will<br/>
you care for her?”</p><p>Oh. Dear.</p><p>Bianca gave a small chuckle. "You only asked me because Mrs O'Leary got attached to Keith, am I right?"</p><p>Keith was, currently, resting on Mrs O'Leary's head. Asleep and not to be disturbed. Mrs O'Leary was only walking slow and tentatively, as to not wake the cat.</p><p>"You caught me,"</p><p>Bianca had, for the first time in months, a smile on her face. Wide and genuine. "Sure, I can take care of her,"</p><p>She tried to ignore the way Annabeth was staring at her.</p><p>“Then I am ready to see my son…and Perdix,” Daedalus said. “I must tell them how sorry I am.”</p><p>Daedalus turned toward Bianca, she unclipped her knives and pointed them at Daedalus. “Your time is long since come. Be released and rest.”</p><p>A smile of relief spread across Daedalus’s face. He froze like a statue. His skin turned transparent, revealing the bronze gears and machinery whirring inside his body. Then the statue turned to gray ash and disintegrated.</p><p>Mrs. O’Leary howled. Bianca patted her face, trying to comfort her as best she could. The earth rumbled—an earthquake that could probably be felt in every major city across the country—as the ancient Labyrinth collapsed.</p><p>0-0-0</p><p>Bianca didn't join the celebrations.</p><p>No, she might've helped give the funerals justice but she didn't join any bit of the celebrations.</p><p>Not because people were being mean or unwelcoming, but mostly because she had unfinished business.</p><p>"Hi Nico," She twiddled with her hands, not knowing what else to do with them.</p><p>"Bianca!" He looked... happy. So happy. "Thank you!"</p><p>"For what?"</p><p>"For not screwing up!" Nico admitted. "I was so scared you were going to pick the wrong choice!"</p><p>"Nico-,"</p><p>"You need to learn that you can't just <em>revive </em>people from the dead," Nico stated. "It's... a tough lesson to learn but you <em>have </em>to learn it. And I'm sorry that the person was me,"</p><p>"It's..." Bianca gulped. "I'm not going to stop missing you,"</p><p>"I know," Nico said gently. His ghostly form fading away as he tried to touch her cheek. "I know. But I'll always be with you, I promise,"</p><p>Bianca nodded as Nico disappeared. Not noticing until it was too late that someone was behind her.</p><p>"Sorry to interrupt," Annabeth said gently. "But I missed you at dinner,"</p><p>Now. Bianca didn't want to admit she had a crush. She <em>really </em>didn't. But she couldn't deny the fact that Annabeth missed her made her feel special and make her cheeks heat up.</p><p>Shit. Shit. Shit.</p><p>She couldn't stay with <em>that </em>mess of emotions being there.</p><p>"Um, well, I," Shit! AHHHH!. "Well I just needed to say goodbye,"</p><p>"Dinner's still happening, you can sit next to me," Annabeth smiled gently and held out her hand. Bianca was <em>panicking</em>.</p><p>She had actually planned to stay but the fact that she <em>knew </em>if she stayed here with Annabeth people would eventually find out about her affections and call her out. She was an <em>outsider</em>. So she had to leave, Bianca had to get out of here.</p><p>"I need to go," Bianca said. "Unfinished business, I need to find Calypso a place to stay, quests with my father, you know the stuff,"</p><p>"Oh," Annabeth literally dropped and it felt like Bianca had been stabbed. "Well, if you ever need to stop by somewhere-wait,"</p><p>Annabeth pulled out a pen and paper out of her packet and began to write something, before handing it to Bianca.</p><p>It was an address.</p><p>"If you're ever in the area, and need somewhere to stay, drop by," Annabeth gave a small smile and tucked a piece of her hair behind her ear (Which should be <em>illegal</em>).</p><p>"I'll-I'll be sure to do that," Bianca scurried away to find her pets and Calypso, ready to get the fuck out of here.</p><p>0-0-0</p><p>“Nice plant,” a voice said. "Calypso would love it,"</p><p>Percy jumped. Bianca di Angelo was standing on the fire escape right next to him. She’d just appeared there. Keith was on her shoulder and her leather jacket was still their, she had a my chemical romance t-shirt instead of the Queen one he'd seen her in last. So her music tastes had probably changed.</p><p>“Sorry,” she said. “Didn’t mean to startle you.”</p><p>“That’s—that’s okay. I mean…what are you doing here? And where's Mr's O'Leary and Calypso”</p><p>“They're in Indiana, in a small place called Waystation, Calypso's permanently staying there. Mrs O'Leary, Keith and I? On the other hand are still moving around and about,” Bianca said, shrugging. “Thought you’d like to know, Daedalus got his punishment.”</p><p>“You saw him?”</p><p>Bianca nodded. “Minos, the bitch, wanted to boil him in cheese fondue for an eternity, but my father had other ideas. Daedalus will be building overpasses and exit ramps in Asphodel for all time. It’ll help ease the traffic congestion. Truthfully, I think the old guy is pretty happy with that. He’s still building. Still creating. And he gets to see his son and Perdix on the weekends.”</p><p>“That’s good.”<br/>
Bianca tapped at her silver ring. “But that’s not the real reason I’ve come. I’ve found out some things. I want to make you an offer.”</p><p>“What?”</p><p>“The way to beat Luke,” he said. “If I’m right, it’s the only way you’ll stand a chance.”</p><p>Percy took a deep breath. “Okay. I’m listening.”</p><p>Bianca glanced inside his room. Her eyebrows furrowed. “Is that…is that blue birthday cake?”</p><p>She sounded hungry, maybe a little wistful. Percy wondered if she'd ever had a birthday party, or if she’d ever even been invited to one.</p><p>“Come inside for some cake and ice cream,” Percy said. “It sounds like we’ve got a lot to talk about.” </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Sorry for not updating in a long time. I was more focused on my other works for a while, but commenters brought me back!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
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